


Old Friends see Cats

by Absolute_Fool



Category: Cats (2019), Merrily We Roll Along - Sondheim/Furth
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21998635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Fool/pseuds/Absolute_Fool
Summary: Mary, Frank, and Charley, stressed with life, decide to go out and see a movie together, just like old times. They weren't expecting this.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Old Friends see Cats

**Author's Note:**

> Art is dead

2019 had been a bad year. Everyone was stressed. Frank, despite only being maybe a B list composer at best, was juggling his life, living between New York and LA, getting cameras stuffed in his face whenever he brought his second wife out. Charley and Mary, still lived together. Both still single. Both still deeply lonely. When things tended to change, it only got worse.   
The two hadn't had a chance to all come together in quite a while, let alone just sit quietly, without anyone being angry and without anyone fighting. It was nice.  
Frank was sitting on the sofa, reading through Charley's 18th draft of what was supposed to eventually be their third musical, Take a Left, which Frank felt was maybe a little too communist. Charley, sitting next to him, was supposed to be rewriting said book. Mary was just mindlessly scrolling through her Twitter feed, where she was no doubt arguing with people who she would never be able to win over.   
It was just nice and calm. 

"holy fucking shit I hate Hollywood." Charley said, looking up from his laptop and over to Frank, "I'm enraged."

"When aren't you?" Frank said, closing the script and turning to him.

"Aren't you supposed to be writing lyrics?" Mary said.

"He is." Frank sighed, "What is it?"

"Did you hear about Cats?" Charley said.

"I have heard of cats but I didn't know that had anything to do with Hollywood." Mary said, laying her head back, "I think we should get one." 

"The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?" Frank said.

"They made it into a movie." Charley said.

"Oh yeah that's old news Charley." Frank said, "It looks awful."

"No doubt." Charley said. 

"You didn't find out about it till today?" Mary said, "It opened like.. last week."

"Oh." Charley said, "I've been busy lately."

"I think you just only read news that pisses you off." Mary said, yawning.

"This pisses me off!" 

Frank laughed, "Why don't we go see it?"

"Why would we do that?" Mary said.

"Absolutely not." Charley said, standing up, "Absolutely not." 

"Of course you'd say that." Frank sighed.

"Yes, Frank, I don't think we should contribute to the death of art. I think that it's horribly unethical to spend our money on cats 2019, so obviously a money grabbing effort, combining the vague knowledge most have of the stage musical with so many celebrities, without rhyme or reason beyond name recognition. Such an obvious profit grab... There's no ethical consumption under capitalism, but this is just pathetic." Charley said, adjusting his glasses, "I don't know how anyone who has seen it can sleep at night."

"Very cool, Charley. I just bought us tickets to it." Mary said.

"Oh, for when?" Frank said.

"Tomorrow evening." Mary said.

"Cool." Frank said, "We haven't seen a movie all three of us together since Mamma Mia."

"I am absolutely not going." Charley said.

"Yes you are." Mary said, "I already bought you a ticket."

"Bring someone else." Charley said.

"Stop being an asshole and see Cats with us, Charley." Frank said.

"I'm not being an asshole." Charley said, frowning, "I'm having morals."

"Your morals are shit." Mary said.

"She's right." Frank said.

"You're both the worst." Charley said, "Stop trying to peer pressure me into seeing cats."

"You don't get to say no." Mary said, "We're going to find a way to make you see it no matter what."

"Is that a threat?" Charley said.

"Yes." Mary said.

"She means it." 

"I know she does." Charley said, "Fine." 

The next evening, the three met. 20 minutes early, just like Frank had to. To no one's surprise, the theater was absolutely empty except for them. 

Mary sighed as they found their seats, shaking her head. An ad for Coca-Cola played. 

Charley, still unwilling to make eye contact with her, sat down next to Mary. And Frank next to him.

As the previews came on, Charley leaned over to Frank. Charley opened his mouth to speak then stopped and sat back, Frank reached over and patted his leg.

"So, take anything?" Frank said.

"What?" Charley said.

"Everyone on Twitter recommended edibles." Mary said, "Not me, though."

"I'm-" Charley rolled his eyes, "Frank, Why would you think that i'd-"

"- Sorry, sorry." Frank said, "I just presumed."

"I didn't even take my antidepressants today, I'm going into this so fucking sober." Mary said.

"Mary, that's not healthy." Charley said.

"Shut up, Charley." Mary said, "See, Frank, you can tell he's clean and sober right now because he's being a bitch."

"Undeniably." Frank said.

"I'm not here by choice." Charley said, "And you're a jerk, not me."

"I didn't call you that."

"I respect women." Charley said.

As the movie began, looks were exchanged. Then, as the visuals hit, Mary burst into a fit of laughter. Charley sat back and shook his head, closing his eyes. Frank was silent.  
Mary's laughter only continued as the cats squirmed and moved. As they began to sing, Charley opened his eyes and watched, eyes glinting with focus and confusion. 

Slowly, Charley reached up to his face and removed his glasses, laying them down on his lap. Frank reached over and put them back on his face.

"You don't get to be blind for this." Frank whispered, "If I have to see it, so do you."

Mary's laughter faded and she just sat there, staring at the screen.

For the first few songs, all three were silent, staring up in awe. The Rum Run Tugger began and Charley put his hands in his face, hunching over as if he was crying. Frank reached over and patted his back, still watching. Mary did the same.

Charley rose and quietly looked over at Frank. all he said, with immense intensity, was, "Is it good to see Cats is finally representing you?"

Frank's face drained of all colors and he shook his head, shooting a deadly glare at Charley. Mary, whether from that or the film, once again began to giggle incessantly, which she did, up until Grizabella..

All the focus in the room, that of the three people in said room, snapped up to Grizabella the Glamour cat. Frank took his moment and leaned over, pushing aside a lock of Charley's hair, and whispered, "Is it bad to say I'd fuck Victoria?"

Charley didn't say anything, just pushed him away, shaking his head. 

The three remained silent, once again, for quite a while this time. Past Gus and Macavity, up until Skimbleshanks the railroad cat began.

Mary clapped in time. Charley stared down at the ground. Frank watched with a grin.

Mary reached over and pushed Charley's head up.

"Coward." Mary hissed, as she returned to clapping in time.

Charley's face had drained off all emotions by the time Mr. Mistoffelees played. Mary's giggles had ceased and she was just leaning over, holding Charley's hand. Frank was still smiling, reaching over and placing his hand on top of Mary's and Charley's.

As the film came to an end, the emotions in the room had intensified. Charley'd been weeping since Memory, Mary was sitting on the floor with her knees up to her chest, and Frank was still just sitting there smiling.

The credits came on, and no one made a sound, not a single whisper or breath was heard, they simply all rose and exited the theater. The silence followed them until they left, standing out in the cold.

Then, like that, Frank shoved Charley to the side and leaned on the wall.

"I'm not Rum Tum Tugger." Frank said, "I'm not a player."

"Fuck you, Frank." Charley said, "Yes you are."

Mary lowered herself to the ground again, "Charley's right."

"I liked it." Frank said, "I like Andrew Lloyd Webber's work."

"I'm going to go home and smash my head into the wall until I forget I ever saw that hideous creation. Proof of man's most horrific desires and ego." Charley said, "I feel like I just ascended to a different plane of existence and it's a miserable one." 

"I think we met God." Mary said, staring up at the sky, "Alone together in that theater watching Cats."

"It was quite a time." Frank said, "Welp, I'm going home. I'm going to sleep on that, think about it in depth."

"I'm going to start crying." Mary said, standing up, "Come on, Charley, let's go home."

"I'm never writing anything again." Charley said, "This film has proven there is no need."

"Goodnight, you two." Frank called, holding back yet another stupid grin...

**Author's Note:**

> Huh


End file.
